Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-05-06
.sGER0NIM0 AT EASE.
THE APACHE CHIEF WRITES A
LETTER TO HIS FAMILY.

LETTER TO HIS FAMILY.
| The Captive Indian Braves at Fort Pick
ens-Natchez and Mangus-Rations for
the Nomsds-ouiet. Submissive, Tract
able and Industrious.
With two exceptions all the captives are
under size. The epidermis dark brown-al-
most black in some: the hair long, black,
perfectly straight, and Enthusiastically bound by
knots and handkerchief about the head; eyes
small, keen, and black as jet: face broad and
features sharp; hands and feet sufficiently
small To satisfy We're De We're. and body
thin and 1.-the A. that of the mountain lion;
facial expression sinister, fuTtive and cunning
as becomes their past environment Five
months of contact with civilization have de
veloped latent possibilities, OF which their
reasonably neat and clean appearance is an |
index
Three OF the seventeen merit or deinerit |
special notice. These arc Geronimo, Natchez |
and Nangus- The former is not, as is popu- |
iarly supposed, the hereditary chief of his |
tribe. Like Sitting Bull, he is a medicine |
man, and like him a chief by selection. Head |
and brain Of his Clansmen, his influence over /
them is unhounded. Short and stout OF figure, |
with large square head, high slanting fore
head, hooked nose, piercing restless eyes.
Ethiopian skin and hand Of feminine size and |
softness. ne exhibits some amiable weaknesses
hardly in keeping with his reputed fondness
for her" Rarely does u visitant escape from
his proximity without repeated handshakinS,
that may or msy not imply an invitation to
call again. How old he is he doesn't know.
fl,tt a.,
passed away since he married his first wife.
IL this event occurred at the age of Is, when
Apache braves generally marry, he must now
be about So Geronimo is much married
man, having gone through the nuptial cere-
mony no less than five times. Two of his +
wives are now prisoners at 81, Augustine
The hope Of seeing them again is powerful
incentive 10 subordinstion and prompt obedi-
ence. He and his companions out to be devot-
ed husbands and parents if conduct be in con
cord with the tender compositions regularly
transmitted from Fort Pickens TO Fort
Marion The following is a copy Of one of
Ceronimos letters to his two wives and son
and daughter, dictated Of course
GERoNInO's LETTER
MY Dear Wives, Faith-s-es-la and Tene, and
my son and daughter:
Are you at Fort Marion? II so how 40
you like it there. Have Won plenty to eat.
and do you sleep and drink welI' Send me
letter and tell me all the news ! am very
well satisfied here, but If l only had you with
me again would be more SO. | work every
day, except Sundays. 1t is very healthy to
work. My work is not hard. II consists of
hoeing and raking in and around the fort 1t >
seems 10 me the Great Father and God are
v-ry closely united. | do hope he will let US
see one another soon As sure as the treef .
bud and bloom in the spring. 50 sure is M ,
hope OF seeing you again. Talking by papc.
Is very good, but wien you see ones lips
move and hear their voice it is much better
/ saw Cen Miles, heard him speak. and looked
into his eyes, and believed what he told nre,
and still think he will keep his word. He
told me that would see you soon, also see u /
fine country and lots Of people. The people ,
and the country l have seen, but not you
The sun rises and sets here just the same
as in our country, but the water here {
Is salt The government IL good, and does /
not like 10 see the Indian imposed on lt has
given us pants, coats with pockets on and I
shoes, and enough 10 eat. think of God the
president and YOU In the same light. ] like -,
you so well. When l get your letter will +.
think well crit hope You think the same !
Of me as do Of you. think you have infiu
ence with the sun, moon and stars. If the
government would only g.ve US a reservation, !
so We could support ourselves-oh wouldn't Il
IL be fine' We are at peace now, and by I
Gods help will remain so. There are seven
teen of us here. and not one thinks or acts
had Everybody is well and contented !,
Chstto is a bad man, and has caused Us lots !.
Of trouble. His tongue is like the rattle !
Do not let him hear a word !"
Of this letter. Do what is right, no matter
how you may suffer. Write to me soon
long letter. Your husband, GERONIMO a
Natchez, the true hereditary chief, is fine
specimen of Indian manhood, over six feet
high, erect, well proportional, grave and dig
nfed under his weight of so years The rest I
Of the hand treat him with pronounced re {
pect. His words are few, and his dislike of !
hat fierce light which beats upon royalty Of
AL grades most emphatic. /
Mangus is an intractable savage His arm
S still in bandages from the effects of injury
received while on his way 70 Pensacola
When nearing that city, at the rate of forty v
niles hour, Mangus suddenly sprang
through the car window and was stunned by
sudden collision with the ground. RegaininS
consciousness simultaneously with recapture,
lie was put in irons until the final destination
vas reached Then, TO his great joy the &
landcuffs were removed. Z
RATIoSs FOR THE NoMADS. y
Two dingy old easements in the interior Of
he fort each containing a large open fire I
lace. furnish comfortable accommodations
o these uncomfortable nomads Here pro-
'isions. consisting Of the regular army ra- q
ions. are prepared by an Indian cook as e
igned to that duty. Salt pork is infinitely
ess TO their taste than fresh beef, and is
ooked by frying, after first soaking and boil II
ng out all the brine. Fresh fish, which Pen II
acola bay supplies in choicest variety. is still Il
ess relished, but is slowly coming into use q
lad in soldiers fatigue suits. the prisoners
re much more presentable than when at
lred IN indigenous costume. Several have \
ound or been presented with old broad !,
trimmed hats. But high topped shoes =
onstitu,e their especial vanity. ManguS !;
videntiy prefers his to the time honored 4
noccaSin. and blacks them about four tir.es j
very day 5
Glad to be beyond the reach of Arizona i
ustice, every member of the band is quiet, n
tractable and industrious. ShSyel
axe, saw and ak have already become ia Y
niliar tools The wheelbaTow proved TO be =.
s int-actable, at first, in the bands of Gero- :.
limo as bucking broncho in those of
dude; but be is said 10 have u
Ichieyed complete triumph over the singular p
Implement. The deNterous grace with which | C
le swings the sounding ux is not exceeded by I,
hat with which NE was wont to fling. the o